Shoe having rear impact guard

ABSTRACT

A shoe having a guard device disposed at or near the second end of the shoe to prevent injury to the back of the wearer&#39;s foot from an impact force against the second end of the shoe. Preferably, the guard device has a body member that extends substantially from the bottom of the shoe to the top of the shoe at the second end thereof to protect against an impact anywhere between the sole and the top of the shoe. The body member of the guard device can be made out of metal, hard plastic or rigid composites and be rod-like, a rectangular plate or curved to conform to the shape of the heel. The guard device can be embedded inside the shoe body or be affixed to the outer surface of the shoe body. The shoe can be configured as a conventional shoe, safety shoe or boot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The field of the present invention relates generally to footwear having a safety component to protect part of the wearer's foot. In particular, the present invention relates to such footwear that is configured to protect part of the foot from an impact force. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such footwear that protects the heel area of the wearer's foot from an impact that could otherwise injure the Achilles tendon and surrounding area of the foot.

B. Background

The use of devices in footwear to protect a portion of the wearer's foot from injury is well known in the art. For instance, many shoes, boots and other footwear have a sole on the bottom of the footwear that is configured to protect the bottom of the wearer's foot from impact forces that result from walking or running over rough terrain or from sharp objects, such as sticks, broken glass, pins, rods and the like, that would otherwise puncture the bottom of the shoe and cause injury to the bottom of the foot. Typically, hiking boots and the like also include a shoe body that substantially envelopes the foot which is made out of materials that are selected to protect the wearer's foot from abrasions and the like which would result from contact against rocks, trees or other objects that could injure the sides or top of the foot. Generally, the devices and materials which are utilized in common footwear to protect the bottom and sides of the foot are primarily designed to achieve certain comfort and/or aesthetic objectives and have only a limited ability to protect the wearer's foot against more severe impact forces.

Many occupations place the worker at risk of injury to his or her foot, including harm that could result from objects that may drop or fall on the worker's foot, objects which could puncture the bottom of the foot and objects which may run over or hit against the foot. To reduce the risk of injury to the worker's foot, most companies require the workers who work in areas where foot injuries are possible to wear safety shoes or boots. The typical safety shoe (which includes boots) comprises a steel or other metal rigid or semi-rigid plate incorporated into the sole or insole of the shoe to provide puncture resistence for the underside of the shoe so as to prevent injury to the bottom of the wearer's foot. Because the plate usually extends over the entire sole or insole portion of the shoe, it can add significantly to the weight of the shoe and reduce the shoe's flexibility, which can result in discomfort for the wearer. The typical safety shoe also includes a safety toe component that is configured to protect the forward, toe area of the wearer's foot. As with the plate, the conventional safety toe is made from steel and is at least semi-rigid, most often quite rigid. The typical safety toe component is configured to substantially envelope the wearer's toes to protect the toes from objects that may fall on top of the shoe or hit against the front and/or sides of the toes. Generally, the weight and stiffness at the toe area of the safety shoe adds to the weight of the shoe and makes the shoe somewhat uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. To reduce the weight and discomfort of the safety plate and/or toe components, some safety shoe manufacturers have developed safety shoe components that are made out of hardened plastic, composites and/or other relatively lightweight but strong materials.

In addition to the typical foot related injuries that can result from an object puncturing the bottom of the shoe or an object falling on or running over the toe area of the shoe, many people are exposed to potential injury to the heel area of their foot. A person's heel area can be injured as a result of a cart, Gurney, bicycle or other apparatus, typically wheeled or on a wheeled object (such as a hand cart or forklift) running into the rear of their foot. As many people are aware, an impact against the rear of the foot can be very painful and result in difficulty in running, walking or even laying or sitting down with any pressure on the heel. Naturally, this can result in the inability for a person to comfortably work and/or perform other day-to-day activities. The rear portion of a human foot comprises the heel bone (the calcaneus), which sits below the ankle bone (talus) and behind the bones at the middle of the foot (the cuneiforms and cuboid), and the Achilles tendon (also known as the calcaneal tendon or tendo calcaneus), which extends behind the back of the ankle to connect the calf (gastrocnemius) and soleus muscles to the heel bone. Depending on the severity of an impact against the rear of a person's foot, the Achilles tendon and/or the heel bone can be damaged. In severe impact events against the rear of the foot, the Achilles tendon can be severed and/or the heel bone can be fractured, both of which cause significant pain, typically need surgery to repair and require extensive time for recovery. Work related injuries of this type typically result in significant loss of employee availability and cost to the employer.

Although potential foot injuries from an object puncturing the bottom of the shoe or an object falling on or running over the toe portion of the foot have been generally well addressed in the prior art, injuries to the rear of the foot from impact events have not been addressed or have not been adequately addressed. As a result, there continues to be work and non-work related injuries to the rear of the foot that cause people significant pain, sometimes nearly debilitating pain, and which result in loss of income and require medical expenses. What is needed, therefore, is an improved shoe that includes a device to protect against impact injuries to the rear portion of a person's foot. The preferred shoe should prevent injury to the wearer's heel bone and/or Achilles tendon from an impact directed against the back of the shoe. Preferably, the shoe having a device to protect against injuries to the rear of the foot can be configured as a standard shoe, safety shoe or boot. The shoe should be comfortable to wear and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The shoe having rear impact guard of the present invention solves the problems and provides the benefits identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a shoe, which may be configured as a standard or work shoe or a boot, having a guard device at the rear of the shoe to protect the rear of the wearer's foot from injury as a result of an impact against the rear of the shoe. As such, the shoe of the present invention protects against impact events that can harm the heel bone, Achilles tendon or other areas of the back of the wearer's foot. In a preferred embodiment, the impact guard device is at the back of the shoe and extends from at or near the bottom of the shoe (above the sole) to at or near the top of the shoe to protect the entire heel area of the wearer's foot. The impact guard device can be made out of metal, hard plastic, various composites or other materials that are or can be made sufficiently rigid so as to prevent an impact against the back of the shoe from injuring the wearer's heel area. In one embodiment, the impact guard device is incorporated into the body of the shoe. In another embodiment, the impact guard device is disposed on the exterior of the shoe. In either embodiment, the shoe can be manufactured in a manner that does not make the shoe uncomfortable to wear and/or expensive to manufacture.

In a primary embodiment of the present invention, the shoe having rear impact guard generally comprises a generally rigid guard device at or near the second or back end of the shoe to prevent any impact force from injuring the back of the wearer's foot. The guard device has a body member with first end and a second end. In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the body member is at or near the top end of the back of the shoe and the second end of the body member is at or near the bottom end of the back of the shoe. The guard device can be made out of metal, hard plastic, composites and a variety of other rigid or at least substantially rigid materials. In the preferred embodiment, the guard device is embedded inside the body of the shoe at or near its second end, which defines the heel section of the shoe. Alternatively, the guard member can be affixed to the outer surface of the shoe body at the second end of the shoe. In one embodiment, the body member of the guard device is an elongated rod having a round, square, rectangular, oval or other cross-section. In another embodiment, the guard device is a rectangular plate. In yet another embodiment, the guard device has a curved shaped that generally conforms to the shape of the heel section of the shoe so it can also protect the sides of the user's heel from injury due to an impact force. In this embodiment, the body member comprises a pair of wing members that extend in the shoe's heel section generally outward from the second end of the shoe toward the first end of the shoe. The shoe of the present invention can also include the prior art plate at or near the sole of the shoe and the prior art safety toe to provide substantial protection for the wearer's foot.

Accordingly, the primary aspect of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a rear impact guard that has the advantages discussed above and overcomes the disadvantages and limitations associated with presently available shoes and safety shoes.

It is an important aspect of the present invention to provide a shoe having rear impact guard that is configured to protect the heel area of a wearer's foot from an impact force against the rear of the shoe. More specifically, it is an important aspect of the present invention to provide a shoe having rear impact guard that substantially protects the rear or heel area of the wearer's foot from impact forces which would otherwise injure the heel bone and/or Achilles tendon, resulting in pain, loss of work and medical expenses.

It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a shoe having rear impact guard that is adaptable for use with a variety of different sizes and types of footwear, including shoes, safety shoes and boots.

Another important aspect of the present invention is to provide a shoe having rear impact guard that does not make the shoe uncomfortable to wear or expensive to manufacture.

The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of the above presently described and understood by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a shoe having a rear impact guard that is configured according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing use of a relatively narrow, elongated rod as the guard device;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the shoe of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the guard device utilized in the shoe of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of the shoe having a rear impact guard of the present invention showing use of a generally rectangular guard device positioned on the outside of the rear of the shoe;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the guard device utilized with the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of another alternative embodiment of the shoe having a rear impact guard of the present invention showing use of a shaped guard device at the back of the boot to protect the back and sides of the heel portion of the wearer's foot;

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the shoe of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a back view of the guard device utilized with the shoe of FIGS. 6 and 7; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of the guard device of FIG. 8 showing the device curving outward towards the bottom thereof to generally conform to the shape of the typical heel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. The enclosed text and drawings are merely illustrative of one or more preferred embodiments and, as such, disclose one or more different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein. For instance, although the figures and description provided herein show certain configurations for the shoe and the guard device utilized with the shoe, those skilled in the art will readily understand that this is merely for purposes of simplifying the present disclosure and that the present invention is not so limited.

A shoe that is configured pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is identified generally as 10 in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7. The shoe 10 is configured to be worn by a person to protect the rear of the wearer's foot, specifically the area around the heel bone and the Achilles tendon, from an impact force that could otherwise injure the person. As with a standard shoe, the shoe 10 of the present invention has a shoe body 12 with a first end 14 that defines the toe section 16 of the shoe 10 and a second end 18 that defines the heel section 20 thereof. The shoe 10 of the present invention has a sole 22 at the bottom of the shoe that supports the wearer's foot as he or she walks across the ground or other surfaces. As set forth above, conventional safety shoes can include a plate, typically made out of metal and at least semi-rigid, that protects the bottom of the wearer's foot from objects that puncture the sole 22 and a toe guard, also typically made out of a rigid metal, that protects the wearer's foot from objects that fall on or run over toe section 16. Although FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate a typical shoe and FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a typical boot, which for the present disclosure are both referred to as a “shoe,” persons skilled in the art will readily recognize that the present invention is not limited to these types of shoes and that the principles of the present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of different configurations and types of shoes. Although not shown in the figures, those skilled in the art will also readily understand that the shoe 10 of the present invention can include the prior art plates at or near the sole 22 of the shoe 10 and the prior art toe guards at the toe section 16 of the shoe 10.

To achieve the desired protection against injury to the foot resulting from an impact force against the back of shoe 10, the shoe 10 of the present invention comprises a guard device 24 beneficially positioned in heel section 20 of shoe 10. Various sizes and configurations for guard device 24 can be utilized with the shoe 10 of the present invention. In each such embodiment, however, the guard device 24 should be sized and configured to protect the wearer's heel, including the heel bone and Achilles tendon, from an impact against the second end 18 of shoe 10. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, the guard device 24 has a body member 26 that is an elongated rod having a first end 28 and a second end 30. In a preferred configuration of this embodiment, the rod-shaped body member 26 is sized such that its first end 28 is substantially at or near the top end 32 of the second end 18 of shoe 10 and its second end 30 is substantially at or near the bottom end 34 of the second end 18 of shoe 10, which is at or near where the top of the sole 22, as best shown in FIG. 2. The body member 26 is a rigid or substantially rigid member that can be manufactured out of metal, hard plastic, various composites or other materials that will provide a rigid barrier against any impact force that hits the second end 18 of shoe 10. As best shown in FIG. 1, the body member 26 should be shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the second end 18 of shoe 10 so that it does not interfere with the use of shoe 10. In this embodiment, the guard device 24 is disposed inside shoe body 12 at the heel section 20. Preferably, the shoe 10 is manufactured such that the user thereof will not feel or otherwise notice the placement of the guard device 24 inside the heel section 20 of shoe 10. FIG. 3 shows guard device 24 separate from shoe 10. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the rod-like body member 26 of guard device 24 can have a cross-sectional shape that is round, square, rectangle, oval or a variety of other shapes. In one embodiment, the body member 26 has a round cross-section approximately 0.15 to 0.30 inches in diameter. If desired, the first end 28 can be below the top end 32 of the second end 18 of shoe 10 and the second end 30 can be above the bottom end 34 of the second end 18 of shoe 10.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the guard device 24 is a generally rectangular plate and disposed on the outer surface 36 of shoe body 12. Preferably, this embodiment is utilized when the second end 18 of shoe 10 is sufficiently wide that the body member 26 of guard device 24 will not extend beyond the outer edges of the shoe body 12. If desired, the rectangular shaped guard device 24 can be disposed inside shoe body 10 (as with the rod shaped embodiment) and, likewise, the rod shaped guard device 24 can be disposed on the outer surface 36 of shoe body 12. In an alternative embodiment, the guard device 24 can be disposed inside shoe 10, although this is likely not a preferred embodiment as the guard device 24 could possibly rub against the user's foot and make shoe 10 uncomfortable to wear. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the guard device 24 can be affixed to the outer surface 36 utilizing an adhesive or various attachment devices suitable for the materials of shoe 10 and guard device 24. In one configuration of this embodiment, the rectangular shaped guard device 24 has a body member 26 that is approximately 0.75 to 1.20 inches wide and 0.15 to 0.35 inches thick. Preferably, the height of body member 26 is selected so as to substantially extend between the top end 32 and bottom end 34 of the second end 18 of shoe 10, as shown in FIG. 4.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 6 through 9, the body member 26 of guard device 24 is shaped to at least generally conform to the shape of shoe body 12 at the heel section 20 of shoe 10. In this embodiment, the body member 26 comprises a pair of wing members, such as first wing member 38 and second wing member 40 shown on FIG. 8, that extend outwardly relative to the main portion of body member 26 to at least partially wrap around the sides of heel section 20 at the second end 18 of shoe 10. As best shown in the side view of FIG. 6 (with the opposite side being a mirror image thereof) and the top view of FIG. 9, the body member 26 is curved such that the wing sections 38/40 extend from the second end 18 towards the first end 14 of shoe 10, though still remaining within the heel section 20 of shoe 10. Preferably, the curvature of body member 26 is substantially in conformity with the shape of the shoe body 12 at the second end 18 of shoe 10. Generally, this will result in body member 26 being narrower near the first end 28 and wider near the second end 30, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The benefit of the wing members 38/40 of this embodiment is to provide some protection to the sides of the wearer's foot at the heel section 20 of shoe 10 from an impact force at this location. In the configuration of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the guard device 24 is embedded inside the shoe body 12 (as with the embodiment of FIG. 1). Alternatively, the guard device 24 of this embodiment can be affixed to the outer surface 36 of shoe body 12, as shown with regard to the embodiment of FIG. 4. As with the other embodiments, the body member 26 should be made out of a rigid material, such as metal, hard plastic and certain composites. Preferably, the material chosen for the body member 26 is relatively lightweight and inexpensive to produce so as to maintain the comfort and control the cost of shoe 10. As with the previous embodiments, it is preferred that the body member 26 substantially extend from at or near the top end 32 of shoe body 12 at the second end 18 of shoe 10 to at or near its bottom end 34, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

As stated above, in the preferred embodiment, the guard device 24 is embedded inside shoe body 12 at the heel section 20 of shoe 10, preferably at the time shoe 10 is manufactured. Alternatively, the guard device 24 can be affixed to the outer surface 36 of shoe body 12, which can be installed after the manufacture of shoe 10. In the latter embodiment, the guard device 24 can be sold as an after-market product that is installed by the user on an existing shoe, including a shoe 10 that is configured as a safety shoe with a plate at or near the sole 22 of shoe 10 and/or a safety toe device at the toe section 16 of shoe 10. An improved safety shoe would incorporate the guard device 10 of the present invention to provide a shoe 10 with protection against punctures through the bottom of the shoe 10, injury to toes from an object falling on or running over the toe section 16 of shoe 10 and injury to the heel area from an impact force against the second end 18 of shoe 10. In use, the user would wear shoe 10 in the same manner as he or she would wear any other shoe, just with the added benefit of guard device 24 protecting against impact forces against the second end 18 of shoe 10, thereby reducing the likelihood of injury to the heel bone or Achilles tendon of the user's foot.

While there are shown and described herein specific forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to various modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape and use. For instance, there are numerous components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention. 

1. A shoe, comprising: a shoe body having a first end defining a toe section and a second end defining a heel section; and a guard device at or near said second end of said shoe body, said guard device having a body member sized and configured to protect the user against impact forces at said second end of said shoe.
 2. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said guard device is embedded inside said shoe body.
 3. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said guard device is affixed to an outer surface of said shoe body.
 4. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said body member has a first end disposed at or near a top end of said shoe body at said second end thereof and a second end disposed at or near a bottom end of said shoe body at said second end thereof.
 5. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said body member is a rod.
 6. The shoe according to claim 6, wherein said rod has a round cross-sectional shape and a diameter of approximately 0.15 to 0.30 inches.
 7. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said body member is rectangularly shaped.
 8. The shoe according to claim 1, wherein said body member is shaped and configured to substantially conform to the shape and configuration of the heel section of said shoe.
 9. The shoe according to claim 8, wherein said body member comprises at least one wing member extending generally outward from said second end of said shoe toward said first end of said shoe.
 10. The shoe according to claim 9, wherein said body member comprises a pair of wing members on opposing sides thereof.
 11. A shoe, comprising: a shoe body having a first end defining a toe section and a second end defining a heel section, said second end having a top end and a bottom end; and a guard device embedded inside said shoe body at or near said second end of said shoe body, said guard device having a body member sized and configured to protect the user against impact forces at said second end of said shoe, said body member having a first end disposed at or near said top end and a second end disposed at or near said bottom end.
 12. The shoe according to claim 11, wherein said body member is a rod.
 13. The shoe according to claim 11, wherein said body member is rectangularly shaped.
 14. The shoe according to claim 11, wherein said body member is shaped and configured to substantially conform to the shape and configuration of the heel section of said shoe.
 15. The shoe according to claim 14, wherein said body member comprises at least one wing member extending generally outward from said second end of said shoe toward said first end of said shoe.
 16. A shoe, comprising: a shoe body having a first end defining a toe section and a second end defining a heel section, said second end having a top end and a bottom end; and a guard device affixed to an outer surface of said shoe body at or near said second end of said shoe body, said guard device having a body member sized and configured to protect the user against impact forces at said second end of said shoe, said body member having a first end disposed at or near said top end and a second end disposed at or near said bottom end.
 17. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein said body member is a rod.
 18. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein said body member is rectangularly shaped.
 19. The shoe according to claim 16, wherein said body member is shaped and configured to substantially conform to the shape and configuration of the heel section of said shoe.
 20. The shoe according to claim 19, wherein said body member comprises at least one wing member extending generally outward from said second end of said shoe toward said first end of said shoe. 